Punishment Park

"One of the most controversial films ever made."

1971 1h 28m EN

👍

7.3

SOLID

★7.3TMDB · 219

DramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In this fictional documentary, U.S. prisons are at capacity, and President Nixon declares a state of emergency. All new prisoners, most of whom are connected to the antiwar movement, are now given the choice of jail time or spending three days in Punishment Park, where they will be hunted for sport by federal authorities. The prisoners invariably choose the latter option, but learn that, between the desert heat and the brutal police officers, their chances of survival are slim.

“One of the most controversial films ever made.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

FlixFlingSubscription

FlixFlingRent

FlixFlingBuy

Cast

Patrick Boland
Tribunal Defendant
Carmen Argenziano
Jay Kaufman (Tribunal Defendant)
Kent Foreman
Lee Robert Brown (Tribunal Defendant)
Luke Johnson
William Luke Valerio (Tribunal Defendant)
Katherine Quittner
Nancy Jane Smith (Tribunal Defendant)
Scott Turner
James Arthur Kohler (Tribunal Defendant)
Stan Armsted
Charles Robbins (Tribunal Defendant)
Mary Ellen Kleinhall
Allison Mitchner (Tribunal Defendant)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Peter Watkins
Writers: Peter Watkins
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

88 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $0.1M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

55 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Peter Watkins, shot by Joan Churchill. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Peter Watkins shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Patrick Boland and Carmen Argenziano and Kent Foreman carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "One of the most controversial films ever made.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0067633 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Peter Watkins directs. Joan Churchill behind the camera. Peter Watkins cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

188 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Shot for just $0.1M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
355 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
4Directed by Peter Watkins, shot by Joan Churchill. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Peter Watkins shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Patrick Boland and Carmen Argenziano and Kent Foreman carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "One of the most controversial films ever made.".
8IMDB entry: tt0067633 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 25 themes, including "police brutality", "hippie", "dystopia", "soldier".